One of the main goals of the season was to inform the public about Community Harvest’s successful gleaning projects. But in terms of recruiting volunteers to participate, the project has some improvements to make. Challenges 1. New project: people were a little hesitant to get…
The Greater Wenatchee Area has an abundance of agricultural outlets, particularly with regards to tree fruit. In order to engage larger, local agricultural companies, Community Harvest contacted large packing and processing facilities such as Stemilt, Crunch Pack, and Tree Top. A memo was sent to these…
Field Training and Farm Etiquette Every glean includes field training for volunteers and reviewing farm etiquette, as well as any special harvesting instructions from the farmer. (*Note: all gleaning coordinators should check with the farmer for special instructions on harvesting crops.) The success of a gleaning…
The first attempt to recover produce from the Thursday night Chelan Farmers’ Market yielded mixed results. The Farmers Market Manager was enthusiastic about gleaning produce, and also allowed the use of the Farmers Market information table for Community Harvest materials. A donation box was set…
Community Farm Connection (CFC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to supporting small farmers and improving consumer access to locally grown food. CFC supports sustainable agriculture, small diversified farms, and local communities by bringing farmers new opportunities to get their bounty to the consumer. Working…
In order to effectively start a gleaning project, a VISTA needs to familiarize themselves with the regional hunger relief agencies and the existing food and distribution systems in the communities served. This was accomplished by conducting a regional food bank survey which included questions addressing the…
Donor Establishment Process The gleaning coordinator identified local farms that might be interested through either prior affiliation or expressed interest by the donor. (a) Often a tri-fold explaining what Community Harvest does along with some frequently asked questions was mailed or emailed to potential donors. (b) When possible, face-to-face contact was made to…